Afghan troops push into city of Kunduz, Taliban in retreat

Insurgents say they're still in control, but Kabul denies it

The military was clearing pockets of Taliban on Thursday in Kunduz, officials said, but Kabul contended the provincial capital was in government hands. ﻿

The military was clearing pockets of Taliban on Thursday in Kunduz, officials said, but Kabul contended the provincial capital was in government hands. ﻿

Photo: WAKIL KOHSAR

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Afghan security personnel walk around a burnt out vehicle near Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghan security personnel walk around a burnt out vehicle near Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern ... more

Photo: STR

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Smoke rises from an unknown point in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Smoke rises from an unknown point in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghan police officers walk past a Taliban fighter's dead body in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghans walk in the main square of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghans walk in the main square of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was ... more

Photo: STR

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A member of the Afghan security forces looks inside a government office, destroyed by Taliban fighters in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photos) less

A member of the Afghan security forces looks inside a government office, destroyed by Taliban fighters in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghan vendors sort their properties on a street in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz , which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photos) less

Afghan vendors sort their properties on a street in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of ... more

Photo: STR

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Kunduz chief of police, Mohammad Qasim Jangalbagh, left, talks to U.S. and Afghan special forces in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz (KUHN'-dooz), which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Kunduz chief of police, Mohammad Qasim Jangalbagh, left, talks to U.S. and Afghan special forces in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghanistan's security forces inspect the site of a U.S. airstrike, in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photos) less

Afghanistan's security forces inspect the site of a U.S. airstrike, in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghan men assist a wounded civilian in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghan men assist a wounded civilian in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghan security personelle take a photo of a Taliban fighter's dead body, in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghan security personelle take a photo of a Taliban fighter's dead body, in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghan vendors sort their properties in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghan vendors sort their properties in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghans walk in the main square of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghans walk in the main square of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was ... more

Photo: STR

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Afghan men stand near some posters which were destroyed by Taliban fighters, in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

Afghan men stand near some posters which were destroyed by Taliban fighters, in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have ... more

Photo: STR

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A member of the Afghan security forces, right, stands guard in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

A member of the Afghan security forces, right, stands guard in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic ... more

Photo: STR

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A member of the Afghan security forces, right, stands guard in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by the Taliban on Monday. The spokesman says it could take some days to "clear the city," but that Taliban forces have retreated. He says about 200 Taliban fighters have been killed. (AP Photo) less

A member of the Afghan security forces, right, stands guard in a street of Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. An Afghan official says government forces have retaken the strategic ... more

Photo: STR

Afghan troops push into city of Kunduz, Taliban in retreat

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KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan government claimed Thursday that it had successfully retaken the northern city of Kunduz from Taliban militants who had controlled the city since Monday.

President Ashraf Ghani, appearing at a televised news conference with his defense and interior ministers, said the city was retaken in a six-hour assault with no fatalities among the government security forces. He praised the government troops, saying they, "were able to foil one of the most significant operations to have taken place in Afghanistan in 14 years."

Defense Minister Masoom Stanekzai said that sporadic clashes were still taking place as government forces continue to battle pockets of Taliban insurgents. "Small guerrilla forces remain in various neighborhoods. We have to clear all the surrounding areas and open transport links so people can come and go," he said.

Interior Minister Noor-ul-Haq Ulumi defended the performance of the government in the initial fall of Kunduz. Hundreds of Taliban fighters apparently entered the city over the recent Eid holiday and lay in wait until their operation to take the city was launched early Monday morning.

"We never took our eyes off the ball," Ulumi said. "We had to protect citizens and so the security forces retreated."

Ulumi seemed to acknowledge that the Taliban had scored a significant propaganda victory and was succeeding in making the government look ineffectual, saying the weakness of the government side "has always been in propaganda and marketing ourselves."

In a statement Thursday, the presidential palace said Ghani will send a team to Kunduz to investigate how the Taliban had been able to infiltrate the city.

The fall of Kunduz to the Taliban on Monday marked a major setback for Afghan government forces, which have struggled to combat insurgents with limited aid from the U.S. and NATO troops. The international forces' role has shifted to training and support after all NATO combat forces withdrew from Afghanistan at the end of last year.

Taliban denies loss

Earlier Thursday afternoon, before Ghani's news conference, the Taliban denied they had lost the city and the group's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that it was still in their hands, saying "the Taliban flag is still flying" over Kunduz.

The spokesman for the Interior Ministry said the operation to take back Kunduz was launched late Wednesday, with ground forces moving from the airport - where they had massed since the city fell - over roads that had been mined by the insurgents.

Sediqqi claimed that control of Kunduz "was taken by 3:30 a.m." on Thursday but conceded that an operation "to clear the city is ongoing" and could take some days.

Sediqqi said around 200 Taliban fighters have been killed in the fighting so far but did not provide a figure for government casualties. Kunduz police chief, Sarwar Hussaini, said bodies of dead Taliban lay on the streets but that the clearance operation was complicated because some Taliban fighters had hidden inside people's homes.

On Wednesday, two U.S. airstrikes were launched in support of the Afghan troops at Kunduz airport and on the outskirts of the city, said U.S. Army Col. Brian Tribus, spokesman for the U.S.-NATO mission in Afghanistan. He said the U.S. has carried out six airstrikes since Kunduz fell Monday.